A distant bird call.

Daniel’s own footsteps shifting against the ground.

He kept talking to the man so he would know someone was there.

The man appeared exhausted and disoriented.

His clothing was torn, and he seemed unable to stand without assistance.

Daniel did not know what had happened.

Had the man fallen?

Had he become lost?

Had he been injured somewhere farther along the trail?

There were too many unanswered questions.

But those questions could wait.

The immediate priority was getting

professional assistance to him.

Eventually, the sound of approaching rescue personnel could be heard through the trees.

The Terrain Made Everything More Difficult

When the rescue team arrived, they quickly recognized that this would not be a simple evacuation.

The man was near a steep ravine.

The ground was uneven.

Loose rocks could shift without warning.

Recent rainfall had softened parts of the soil, making footing unreliable.